Poll: Which production type do you prefer to collect - Proofs of Business Strikes?

relayer · January 31, 2006 2:07PM

My guess is Proofs will be beaten by a 5 to 1 margin

LucyBop · January 31, 2006 2:14PM

i love em both but my vote is for buisness strikes...

jcping · January 31, 2006 2:14PM

My vote goes to "Business strike." If I could choose "beautifully toned Proof coins", I will pick that ones

DickyBetz · January 31, 2006 3:04PM

Business strikes...

michael · January 31, 2006 3:12PM

a little of both

sort of like cake AND ice cream both go together good a synergy so to speak

mgoodm3 · January 31, 2006 3:29PM

proofs

Burks · January 31, 2006 3:38PM

Business strikes. The coins I collect are affordable in business strikes. Proof Morgans aren't very cheap!

MikeInFL · January 31, 2006 3:50PM

I like them both, but I am currently focusing my efforts on proof type. Once I complete that, I'll move on to business strikes for the earlier stuff...Mike

Boom · January 31, 2006 5:46PM

Biz

50cents · January 31, 2006 5:56PM

I prefer buisness strikes.

pontiacinf · January 31, 2006 6:28PM

depends on the series. I like business strikes, but in a series like trade dollars id prefer proofs, as business strikes in that series always look washed out

MrSpud · January 31, 2006 9:03PM

My preference is business strikes because they are real coins. Proofs, in my opinion, are the same as medals. They are nice to look at and it is desirable to have some of them just because they look nice, but they aren't real coins intended to be used as coins.

fivecents · January 31, 2006 9:29PM

Biz strikes.

OKbustchaser · January 31, 2006 9:30PM

<< My preference is business strikes because they are real coins. Proofs, in my opinion, are the same as medals. They are nice to look at and it is desirable to have some of them just because they look nice, but they aren't real coins intended to be used as coins. >>

PerryHall · January 31, 2006 9:32PM

<< My preference is business strikes because they are real coins. Proofs, in my opinion, are the same as medals. They are nice to look at and it is desirable to have some of them just because they look nice, but they aren't real coins intended to be used as coins. >>

Proofs are indeed real coins. They are made by the US mint and are legal tender and can be spent in stores. Medals are something totally different and shouldn't be confused with coins.

OKbustchaser · January 31, 2006 9:52PM

<< 
Proofs are indeed real coins. They are made by the US mint and are legal tender and can be spent in stores. Medals are something totally different and shouldn't be confused with coins. >>

No, they are metal discs which happen to be made by the the mint. The fact that they are legal tender does not in and of itself make them coins. This simply signifies that the U.S. government will accept them for payment purposes. Nor does the fact that they can be spent in stores...so can anything else be spent as long as both parties are willing.

You are right in your last statement as far as it goes. Medals ARE different than coins and shouldn't be confused with them...but, so are proofs.

TheRaven · January 31, 2006 9:55PM

I like both really, but buisness strikes are what I am currently collecting across the board except for the new 2006 proof sets and the SAE, GAE & PAE material.....

Zug · January 31, 2006 10:00PM

I like them both, but I am currently working on several proof sets.

PerryHall · January 31, 2006 10:05PM

<< The fact that they are legal tender does not in and of itself make them coins. This simply signifies that the U.S. government will accept them for payment purposes. Nor does the fact that they can be spent in stores. >>

I guess we'll have to disagree.

LanLord · January 31, 2006 11:11PM

I collect both, mainly because I like completion, but I prefer a nicely struck and lusterous mint state business strike coin.

RTS · January 31, 2006 11:41PM

One of set of each: business Bust Halves and Proof Barber Halves...

cladking · February 1, 2006 12:38AM

I like both the uncs and proofs as well but comparing them is like comparing apples and oranges
usually and sometimes like comparing apples, and, well, apples.

Business strikes are fascinating because they can bo so very scarce in original condition can be
simply horrid. Coins are struck by rusted dies, tumbled in cement mixers to remove high rims,
struck on corroded planchets, and suffer almost any other type of insult before they are dumped
into circulation to be exposed to the child seeking candy or dropped into the streets. It's not un-
usual for the entire issue to then be melted and new currency issued.

Proofs on the other hand are specially made and the standard is very high. The coins are care-
fully packaged and sold to collectors who usually will protect them until they are passed to a suc-
ceeding generation. The proofs are beautiful and do take on a sort of circulation of their own
after enough generations but many will retain their high quality and beauty.

One learns to see the beauty of a business strike. It doesn't have the flash and wonder of a
proof but it has or had the quality that it could have circulated but somehow escaped this fate.
One even learns to see the unc a coin had been after it has worn down also. There are vestiges
of a coins original condition even after great wear in some cases.

Mints have a lot of work to do and mistakes happen. Proof dies get processed as business strike
and business strikes can be struck twice. Planchets get caught up in machinery and inadvertantly
polished, only do fall back into the production stream. Hence there are hybrids which can be diff-
icult to call unc or proof.

I guess what I'm saying is count me among those who like coins. While some of my favorites are
uncs, the best coins are always those which are the unusual or special in some way and the more
unusual the better.

RYK · February 1, 2006 12:48AM

I voted circulation strikes; it is too hard to find proofs in 40.

Steve · February 1, 2006 1:07AM

As a Lincoln cent collector, I have over the years collected both the business strikes and the proofs. When it came time to put my valuable coins in PCGS slabs I naturally got all my most valuable business strikes slabbed but with about 250 Lincoln business strikes in the series I couldn't afford to get them ALL slabbed. The proof Lincolns total about 80 and I decided to get them ALL slabbed by PCGS. My enjoyment now is with the registry proofs and having the set complete. I also find, especially with the last thirty years of DCAM proofs that they DO look very nice grouped together. Steve

Gemineye · February 1, 2006 1:33AM

I like em both.....Nice Gem proofs and nice quality unc. business strikes.........

shirohniichan · February 1, 2006 2:02AM

I collect coins used as money, so I will collect circulated business strikes and circulated proofs (if I can find them). There aren't a whole lot of circulated proof double dimes to go around.

Charlie184 · February 1, 2006 2:26AM

I buy proof for 1960 and above, but I also buy a business strike relative to the proof coins.

19Lyds · February 1, 2006 2:30AM

I do like the Proofs but really appreciate what a good business strike has had to endure before it hits my hot little hands!

MajorDuty · February 1, 2006 2:37AM

<< 

<< The fact that they are legal tender does not in and of itself make them coins. This simply signifies that the U.S. government will accept them for payment purposes. Nor does the fact that they can be spent in stores. >>

I guess we'll have to disagree. >>

I have to also disagree. I think the quote "The fact that they are legal tender does not in and of itself make them coins" is utterly contradictory, and imo, a bit obtuse.

Numismanic · February 1, 2006 3:20AM

I prefer business strikes.

Russ · February 1, 2006 3:22AM

Proofs, but only if they're cameo or deep cameo. I think brilliant's are boring.

Russ, NCNE

Gemineye · February 1, 2006 3:33AM

<< 

<< 

<< The fact that they are legal tender does not in and of itself make them coins. This simply signifies that the U.S. government will accept them for payment purposes. Nor does the fact that they can be spent in stores. >>

I guess we'll have to disagree. >>

I have to also disagree. I think the quote "The fact that they are legal tender does not in and of itself make them coins" is utterly contradictory, and imo, a bit obtuse. >>

....................

OKbustchaser · February 1, 2006 4:32AM

<< 

<< 

<< The fact that they are legal tender does not in and of itself make them coins. This simply signifies that the U.S. government will accept them for payment purposes. Nor does the fact that they can be spent in stores. >>

I guess we'll have to disagree. >>

I have to also disagree. I think the quote "The fact that they are legal tender does not in and of itself make them coins" is utterly contradictory, and imo, a bit obtuse. >>

Obtuse?...maybe. Contradictory?...How? Many items are "legal tender" which are not coins. Currency comes to mind. So do U.S. Treasury bonds.

tradedollarnut · February 1, 2006 4:54AM

but in a series like trade dollars id prefer proofs, as business strikes in that series always look washed out

Not always!

PBRat · February 1, 2006 5:16AM

Both. Each have qualities that I appreciate.

MajorDuty · February 1, 2006 5:37AM

<< Contradictory?...How? Many items are "legal tender" which are not coins. Currency comes to mind. So do U.S. Treasury bonds. >>

I was focusing on the topic of proof vs. business stike, only, and the comment that proofs are not necessarily coins I disagree with. I understand your point about currency and bonds. Imo, proofs are as coin as coins get. So they're processed slower and under higher pressures than business strikes? Same exact shape, same exact design, and same exact metal composition (talking cald)....coins. You can buy a slurpee with a proof coin, but you'd have a tough time trying to pass a Treasury bond for those goods. I should have just left it at "disagree".

cohodk · February 1, 2006 5:49AM

About 90% of my coins are proofs, but only 1/2 of them have shiny, frosted mirrored proofs.

Scioto · February 1, 2006 6:28AM

circulated business strikes. pocket change.

BECOKA · February 1, 2006 6:31AM

You did not clarify enough. The early 20th century gold buisiness strike is much more appealing than the few proofs that are available. For modern stuff frosty proofs are nice but too easy to collect. Again as a collector Business strike is more fun.

OKbustchaser · February 1, 2006 6:33AM

<< 

<< Contradictory?...How? Many items are "legal tender" which are not coins. Currency comes to mind. So do U.S. Treasury bonds. >>

I was focusing on the topic of proof vs. business stike, only, and the comment that proofs are not necessarily coins I disagree with. I understand your point about currency and bonds. Imo, proofs are as coin as coins get. So they're processed slower and under higher pressures than business strikes? Same exact shape, same exact design, and same exact metal composition (talking cald)....coins. You can buy a slurpee with a proof coin, but you'd have a tough time trying to pass a Treasury bond for those goods. I should have just left it at "disagree". >>

Thus, my point that legal tender status does not create coin status. Nor does the ability to "spend" an item in and of itself make said item a coin. One can also buy a slurpee with a Franklin mint silver round (or for that matter, a rock) if the store owner/cashier is willing to accept it.

edited for spelling

pf70collector · February 1, 2006 6:37AM

Proofs

mgoodm3 · February 1, 2006 6:45AM

Real coin collectors collect proofs. Business strikes are so banal.

CarlWohlforth · February 1, 2006 6:55AM

I like them both. I do like a bit of toning on my proofs. I might have voted business strike, but I read the prediction that proofs would be beaten 5 to 1 so I just had to vote Proof.

Jdurg · February 1, 2006 6:58AM

<< 

<< 

<< Contradictory?...How? Many items are "legal tender" which are not coins. Currency comes to mind. So do U.S. Treasury bonds. >>

I was focusing on the topic of proof vs. business stike, only, and the comment that proofs are not necessarily coins I disagree with. I understand your point about currency and bonds. Imo, proofs are as coin as coins get. So they're processed slower and under higher pressures than business strikes? Same exact shape, same exact design, and same exact metal composition (talking cald)....coins. You can buy a slurpee with a proof coin, but you'd have a tough time trying to pass a Treasury bond for those goods. I should have just left it at "disagree". >>

Thus, my point that legal tender status does not create coin status. Nor does the ability to "spend" an item in and of itself make said item a coin. One can also buy a slurpee with a Franklin mint silver round (or for that matter, a rock) if the store owner/cashier is willing to accept it.

edited for spelling >>

I think it would help then just to define what a "coin" is. Also don't forget that proof is just a designation of how the coin was produced, and not neccessarily the name of the item. If we look at the fact that a proof strike and a business strike ONLY differ by the die that was used to press it, then I don't see how you can call a proof coin "not a coin".

BTW, I prefer to collect proof coins but that's a very expensive taste so I wind up collecting business strikes out of financial neccessity.

OKbustchaser · February 1, 2006 7:36AM

A coin is an item produced (usually) by a government entity to be used for the purpose of facilitating trade, ie it circulates through commerce. A proof item, on the other hand, has absolutely nothing to do with commerce and is produced merely as a mint collectable.

edited because I STILL can't type.

Scioto · February 1, 2006 7:38AM

<< Real coin collectors collect proofs. Business strikes are so banal.

>>

I'm moving up! Last time I was merely unsophisticated.

Sotty · February 1, 2006 7:58AM

I like business strikes best, but a hairlined proof with a minor rim ding and a few carbon spots are very attractive.

TorinoCobra71 · February 1, 2006 8:06AM

Business Strikes!

TorinoCobra71

PerryHall · February 1, 2006 8:07AM

<< A coin is an item produced (usually) by a government entity to be used for the purpose of facilitating trade, ie it circulates through commerce. A proof item, on the other hand, has absolutely nothing to do with commerce and is produced merely as a mint collectable. >>

So a non-proof commem is not a coin?

MikeInFL · February 1, 2006 8:11AM

<< A coin is an item produced (usually) by a government entity to be used for the purpose of facilitating trade, ie it circulates through commerce. A proof item, on the other hand, has absolutely nothing to do with commerce and is produced merely as a mint collectable.

edited because I STILL can't type.

>>

So by your definition paper money is a coin?

MrSpud · February 1, 2006 8:14AM

Ummm...since I was the first to say that I liked business strikes because they are real coins and proofs are more like medals I feel the need to explain.

Business strikes are real coins because they are made primarily with the intent of being used as the coinage of the country, that is for commerce to be used to buy things.

Proofs remind me more of medals than of real coins because they are made primarily with the intent of being collected and shown off for their beauty and not for being used for commerce to buy things with.

I will also now add that Proofs are indeed different than medals because they are legal tender whereas medals are not; however, they are still not made with the primary intent of being used to buy things.

Ok, does that help clear it up

Poll: Which production type do you prefer to collect - Proofs of Business Strikes?

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